Patient Rights
2 min readWhat is informed consent?
What is informed consent supposed to include?
Answer
Informed consent is the conversation in which a clinician explains what they propose to do, why, what the risks and benefits are, and what the alternatives are — including doing nothing.
The signature documents that the conversation happened. The conversation is the part that matters.
Key points
- You may ask for plain language and for an interpreter.
- You may take time before signing.
- You may withdraw consent before the procedure begins.
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Sources & transparency
- Informed Consent — Adults(opens in a new tab)
MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
Retrieved by Phoenix Jul 10, 2026
- Last reviewed:
- Jul 15, 2026
- Next review due:
- Jan 15, 2027
- Editorial owner:
- Phoenix Health Compass Editorial Team
- Medical reviewer:
- Not yet clinically reviewed
Content version:2.0.0
AI-assisted plain-language editing